1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thyristor having an auxiliary emitter electrode, in which thyristor there is an outside n-emitter layer having a cathode, an outside p-emitter layer having an anode, two base layers respectively adjacent thereto and contacting one another, and an outside auxiliary emitter zone which is adjacent one of the base layers and is provided with the auxiliary emitter electrode extending on the side facing the n-emitter layer (p-emitter layer) in such a manner that it bridges the pn junction located between the auxiliary emitter zone and a portion of the adjacent base layer, and to a method for operating the thyristor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Thyristors of the type generally set forth above are known from the book by E. Spenke "PN Junctions" (Volume 5 of the series "Halbleiter-Elektronik"), Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1979, pp. 123-124, particularly FIG. 16.15. Such thyristors are suited for high slew rates of the load current flowing between the anode and the cathode, since the internal trigger amplification assures a very rapid course of the entire trigger operation.